plain ol' stupidity

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I used to think that those warning labels that can be found on just about everything should be removed.  I figured that, if a person is that stupid to use a curling iron in the bathtub, place a baby walker next to a set of stairs, or ride a motorcycle barefooot in the rain, then they would deserve whatever consequences they received.

However, my view on this multi-warning, dumbed-down, libelicious- society phenomenon has changed as of late.  Why, you ask?  Well, it has recently occurred to me that stupid people can have children, too.  And, when they do, the consequences for their poor offspring can be disastrous.  While I've written about this in the past, here are some more recent examples:

• While I was at a private pool at the end of August, a father walks in with his two year old son, Ethan.  At first, the dad seems to be attentive, feeding Ethan yogurt, helping him into his floating swimsuit, and so on.  However, he then leaves the two year old child pool-side with no lifeguards or anyone else (but me) around, while he goes to use the restroom.  While he is gone, the boy runs over to the ladder, hops into the pool, and begins to paddle around with no supervision.  When the man returns, he walks over to his lounge chair, lays back, and sunbathes while his two year old plays in the water, which is no less than 3 feet deep.  Talk about inattention!  What sorts of labels should have been, or likely were, on that suit?  "Use with adult supervision," "Not a lifesaving device," or, maybe, "Not a reliable babysitter."  What an idiot!

•  I had a playgroup at my house recently which involved food and one of the guests actually fed her 9 month old daughter marshmallows and pretzels, without even paying attention as to whether she was choking or not!  Um, excuse me, lady, but don't let your child die in my house!  

• Several years ago, I was at the park with my son when I saw a young couple walk into the area with a baby walker and a baby.  The walker had a rope tied to it.  The father put the walker down at the top of a hill, held the rope, and put the baby inside.  He then let the child (maybe 1 year old) roll down the hill, while he held the rope.  I can only imagine they were attempting to create either a torture device or an amusement park ride.

Okay, okay.  I'll admit it. I'm not a saint, either, when it comes to my kids.  Nor am I super-mom.  When my son was three, I caught him about to play Tarzan by swinging off the back deck from a rope that was not even remotely attached to the overhanging tree.  Just last weekend, my daughter was standing on a chair in a restaurant, holding my hand, and tumbled backwards.  She's also fallen off of the bed, jumped from the couch, and been the victim of an incident involving her Little Tykes car and the hardwood floor.  But, I try.  I'm not terribly neglectful and I don't completely ignore all sensible safety rules.

How about you?  What have been some of your parenting blunders?  What warning labels would apply to your life?